Nicky Adams: ‘I was told I was being sold’

He insists talk of being unhappy at Crawley away from his young family is wide of the mark he does admit not yet being offered a new contract leaves uncertainty over his future at the club.

Speaking to the Observer on Tuesday, the 27-year-old said he was pulled out of the squad which travelled to Carlisle on November 16 after a bid had been accepted from Rotherham, Saturday’s opponents.

There was also interest from another club and Adams, who is out of contract in the summer, said: “At the time (manager) Richie Barker told the press I was ill to protect me but I wasn’t, I was told I was being sold.

“For whatever reason the deal fell through so I just got on with playing football, even though for a few weeks my head was all over the place.”

Adams said he was also told of interest from Bristol City for him and Kyle McFadzean in pre-season when Sean O’Driscoll - the man who signed him for Crawley - took over as manager. McFadzean came close to leaving but Adams says he immediately rejected the advances because he wanted to remain a Reds player.

His two-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter live in Bolton, his hometown.

But responding to talk of him being unsettled in the south Adams said: “I want to set the record straight because I read the article saying I was unhappy and wanted to go back up north to be with my family, but the thing is my misses is more than happy to bring the kids down here.

“The main problem is the club haven’t offered me a new deal, so I don’t want to pull my kids out of school for four months until the end of the season and then be told I won’t get a new deal. My kids are my priority.”

And he insisted: “I’ve never been unhappy at Crawley, I think people can see that from my performances on the pitch because I always give 100 per cent and try to entertain.”

The versatile former Rochdale midfielder is among a large contingent of players out of contract in the summer with the club understood to be waiting until the current transfer window closes before opening talks with players.

Should Adams fail to sign a new contract he would free to leave in the summer.

“It’s not just myself, there’s quite a few lads out of contract and the thought of being without a club is scary,” he said.

“I feel like the club do see me as an asset, but if they thought that much of me surely they’d have offered me a new contract by now.

“If I do get offered a contract by the club then of course I’d look at it with my family and agent and if we’re happy I’d love to sign and stay at Crawley.

“But if a big club do come in then it might be hard to turn down. I turned down Bristol City before but now I’m in the position where I’ve not been offered a new contract so I’d have to look at it.”

This Saturday Crawley go to sixth-placed Rotherham looking to avenge the 2-1 defeat to Steve Evans’ side at the Broadfield earlier in the season.

What do you think?...Should Nicky Adams have been offered a new deal by the club? Will he still be at Crawley come the end of January?

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